Rider's Solitude
by Bonesboy15
Summary: A bounty hunter for the devil must always face this burden alone. It's been that way for millenia. Watch as the most unpredictable shinobi changes that by first selling his soul to the devil to bring his best friend's mother back. AU
1. Devil Went Down to Konoha

**Just watched seven different movies revolving around bikers, read a fic concerning this genre, and listened to a **_**LOT**_** of Johnny Cash, Disturbed, and Ozzy Osborne. If you couldn't guess, this is a Ghost Rider and Naruto crossover.**

**Sorry, about the Nibi and Bird thing. I fixed it.**

**Rider's Solitude**

**Devil Went Down to Konoha**

* * *

A spikey blonde haired preteen looked down at the gravestone that marked one of his most precious people in the rainy night. His bandaged body and dark funeral clothing was soaked from the rain he stood in. He looked down at the picture set before the tombstone, the old man in it showing complete and utter wisdom gleaming in his eyes. The tombstone read 'Here rests Sarutobi Hiruzen, Sandaime Hokage and the Professor of the Leaf.' Drops of liquid rolled down his cheeks, whether it was tears or rain he was unsure.

"Why did you have to die, Jiji?" the blonde whispered softly as he thought about his future. Although he played the fool, he knew that the old man was the only one that stood between his staying in Konoha and being banished or executed. He just wanted to follow his dream and prove his worth, prove he was worthy of existence in this village.

The blonde sat down and hugged his legs tightly. He rested his chin on his knees and looked at the neutral face of the Sandaime Hokage that he was staring at. He sighed and closed his eyes before whispering, "I wish I could have been strong enough to save you."

"Who says you aren't strong?" an elderly voice said from behind the blonde. The blonde turned his head and saw a smiling old man that was an easy six feet tall and dressed in dark robes adorned with dragons. In his hands was a cane with a skull atop it, red rubies in the eye sockets. His grey hair was similar to the way the blonde's jiji used to look.

"W-Who are you?" the blonde asked as he jumped to his feet and settled into a sloppy fighting stance. The old man chuckled, lightning flashing along with his laughter, before smiling at the blonde.

"Uzumaki Naruto," the man said as he slowly started to walk around the blonde, his cane clacking against the stones scattered throughout the grass, "An orphan, no known relatives in any of the Elemental Nations, has a total of three people that genuinely care for his well-being now that Sarutobi Hiruzen is dead and most importantly..."

The man stood on Naruto's right before leaning down and whispering into his ear, "The container of the Kyuubi no Kitsune."

Naruto was becoming scared and uneasy. This man was dangerous, every fiber in his being _screamed_ it and he wanted so badly to just run away from him, but his body wouldn't obey him. The man smiled in an unnerving manner as he stood back up and rested on his cane.

"Yes, I know about your...burden," he said, seemingly reading his mind, "I should, seeing as I _am_ the one that designed your seal."

"Y-You..." the blonde stuttered with fear marking his features, "You made...who...?"

"I, dear child, am Mephistopheles," the man said, "Otherwise known to you mortals as the shinigami. Within you is one of the most sought after souls my sister ever created. The Kyuubi is _mine_."

Naruto fell back on his ass as Mephistopheles' eyes flashed yellow. The Shinigami sighed and ran a hand over his hair, combing it back before looking back down at the blonde. With a smile plastered on his face, Mephistopheles spoke again, "How would you like to be able stay in Konoha no matter what you did? Even if you accidentally tapped into the Nine-Tails' chakra?"

The blonde looked up at him, "Y-You can do that?"

"Of course boy," Mephistopheles said with a smile as he rapped his cane on the blonde's head lightly, "I _am_ a High Deity after all. You just need to sign _this_."

Reaching into his robe, the shinigami then pulled out a scroll which he unrolled to show a contract of some sort. With an equally sinister smile, Mephistopheles said, "This...is a Rider Contract. The second you sign this, your soul is _mine_ and you become my bounty hunter, delivering me souls when their time has come."

"And if I sign this...I can't ever be banished from Konoha? Or sentenced to death?" Naruto asked quietly. Mephistopheles chuckled again before looking at the blonde.

"And here I thought you actually were a gullible oaf," the shinigami said, "Tell you what, I'll do you one better. Name a single person, aside from Sarutobi Hiruzen, that you wish to be alive once again."

Naruto's jaw popped open slightly and his mind was sent into a whirl. Who would he bring back? Who would he choose if given that chance?

Closing his eyes, Naruto began to think. He wanted ever so badly to know his mother and father, but he wasn't sure if they were truly dead or not. He couldn't bring the Old man back, so that was out of the question. A thought occurred to him, a voice in the back of his head whispered softly. _"Ask for Uchiha Mikoto...Sasuke's mother..."_

Knowing that Sasuke was also sad and alone, Naruto did as he always did and put someone else before himself. With newfound determination, Naruto stood and stared death in the face...literally. Holding his hand out, the blonde spoke, "I want you to bring my friend Uchiha Sasuke's mother Uchiha Mikoto back."

The shinigami's eyes widened before reverting to their original state and a smile crossed his features. He gave the contract to the blonde and twisted his hand, making a pen appear, before handing that over to the blonde as well. As Naruto signed the contract, he felt a strong sense of self-achievement from doing something for his broody friend. Perhaps friendship wasn't enough for someone who had had family before; hopefully this would help Sasuke open up. The blonde finished signing the contract before looking up at Mephistopheles and handing the contract back.

Mephistopheles looked over the contract once before looking back down at the blonde with a grin, "The deal is done. As far as anyone other than you or me are concerned, Uchiha Mikoto has been in a coma for the past seven years. She is now waking. Now, give me your hand."

Hesitantly, Naruto extended his own hand to shake the Death God's. No sooner had their hands touched did a fire burn within the blonde, causing him to fall to his knees. Mephistopheles' smile grew as fire encased the blonde, his screams muted by the flames. The blonde's flesh melted away from his body, leaving only a skull covered by fire. The strange thing was on each cheek bone of the skull were three slashes, thin and deep in the bone. Mephistopheles released the hand of the skeletal being and stepped back, admiring his handy work.

"Good riding, Uzumaki Naruto," the shinigami said as he laughed afterwards and vanished with an explosion of flames. The now skeletal Uzumaki Naruto held his head with his bony and flaming hands before standing. He felt a great evil come from the right, a soul calling out for assistance. His eyes flashed red and he went towards them both.

* * *

"Come on, Ayame!" Koga, a low rank freshly made chunin, said as he held the brown haired ramen making girl's hand tightly, "Just once?"

"No Koga!" Ayame said smacking his cheek, "I don't do that!"

Koga glared at her, "You bitch!"

He backhanded her hard, causing the ramen chef to fall to the ground. He delivered a quick chop to the back of her neck and knocked her unconscious. Smirking, Koga pulled her pants down before starting to remove his own. As he stroked himself to full mast, a sudden heat came across his back.

"Go away!" Koga snarled, barely glancing over his shoulder, "Can't you see I'm busy?"

There was no response, only the intensifying of the heat on his back. Growling in frustration, Koga turned, ready to beat the intruder to a pulp, but froze when he looked into the black eyes of a flaming skull head.

"**Your soul is stained by the blood of the innocent,"** The skull said, its eyes seeming to narrow, **"You are guilty."**

"What the fuck are you?" Koga managed to breathe out. Before he could do anything to defend himself, the skull grabbed his collar and slammed him into the ground. Koga yelped from the pain of gravel burrowing into his back, and prepared to retaliate, but froze again when his eyes went to the black orbs that seemed to call to him.

"**You shall feel their pain,"** The skull said as its eyes turned red, **"Look into my eyes. Feel the pain of those you wronged!"**

And he did. His screams attracted the attention of a nearby ANBU squad. When they arrived, they saw the skull throwing Koga's body to the ground as he looked over to the girl that was slowly regaining consciousness. The ANBU all leapt to the girl's defense, holding their swords out towards him. One of them held a chain with a blade at the end of it and was swinging it in preparation to attack. The skull locked his eyes on the one with the chain and he raised his finger to point at the rookie ANBU.

"**You...guilty,"** The skull said. The other ANBU blinked behind their masks before the captain, Tora, stepped forward.

"Who are you?" the ANBU captain asked, "What did you do to that shinobi? What do you mean, guilty?"

"**He has done many a horrible acts without the orders to do so,"** the skull said, **"When he was a chunin, he raped three girls he was assigned to defend. One was no older than six years."**

The other ANBU, Tori and Neko looked in disgust at the blank masked ANBU. His hands tightened around his chain and he leapt at the flaming skull with a roar. The others made to back him up when Tora held his hand up for them to stay put. They did have to defend the now fear stricken girl that was watching after all.

The skull let the ANBU punch him hard across the face, dislocating his jaw. As the ANBU stepped back and smirked behind his mask as he assumed to dissolve the genjutsu, his eyes widened in horror as the skull grabbed its jaw and set it back into place with a loud crack. It raised a bony finger and shook it.

"**Un, un, uh,"** the skull tisked before grabbing the chain that was slack in the ANBU's hands. As the skull seemed to smile, it said, **"My turn!"**

The chain suddenly burst into flames, spreading quickly and covering the arms of the ANBU. He screamed in pain and released the chain, stepping back and flapping his arms in an effort to douse the flames. The skull held the chain in its hands, examining its flame form, before it grinned again and flicked the chain around the ANBU's body, causing his arms to become pinned to his body.

The ANBU rookie looked over at his superiors, the emotion of fear crossing even his mask, and he said, "Help me! Please Taichou, Help me!"

Tora looked to step in when a fireball hit near his feet. Tora looked up into the narrowed eyes of the skeleton and stayed put, recalling what the crimes the rookie had committed in his chunin years. The skeleton wrapped the ends of the chains around his arms as he pulled the ANBU rookie towards him, his pleas for mercy echoing in the night. When he was close enough, the skeleton turned him around and stared deep into his eyes.

"**Your soul is stained by the blood of the innocent!"** the skeleton barked, **"Look into my eyes and feel their pain!"**

The eyes of the skeleton glowed a ruby red and the rookie cried out in pain. He heard the girls he raped echo in his ears, the men he had slaughtered to keep his crime silent, the children he executed in separate missions when he was away from the village. He felt them all, only to feel them again separately before the pain united and made his heart burst from the excess adrenaline form their fear and pain.

The skeleton dropped the now deceased ANBU to the ground, unwrapping the chain around him with a jerk of his hand. With a flick of his wrist, the chain's flame vanished and it wrapped snugly around the chest of the skeletal being. Tora stepped forward, meaning to talk to the being when it suddenly dropped to the ground, holding its head and releasing a pain filled cry. Tora looked to the east as the sun rose before looking back at the skull whose flames were dying down. He along with the other four witnesses gasped as the skull reverted back into the form of Uzumaki Naruto.

Neko stepped forward and looked at Tora with a questioning gaze. Silently, Tora knelt down and picked the unconscious boy up, jumping in surprise when the civilian appeared at his side, doting over the unconscious boy with worry etched in her features. Tora carefully handed the boy to her and looked at Tori, "Escort them home. Neko and I shall clean up."

"Yes sir," Tori said with a nod. He started leading the ramen chef towards her home, leaving the two to clean up.

"What do we do about them?" Neko asked, gesturing to the two dead men, whose eyes were now ashes. Tora performed a few hand seals before the bodies were encased in wood and dragged below the ground. When they had vanished, Tora turned to Neko.

"The rookie attempted to stop the rape in progress, Koga used a Katon technique to burn away his body, but it backfired and killed him as well," Tora said. Nibi nodded before she turned her head to look at the fading sight of Tori and the civilian. Tora followed her gaze and he said, "What we saw doesn't leave us until a new Kage is in place."

"Do you think it was the fox, Taichou?" she asked, looking back at him. Tora shook his head.

"It was not the Kyuubi," he said, "I felt nothing of malice or death reek from his body."

"We will have to speak to him later," Neko said, looking back at the direction she was looking at before, "And Tori will have to know about your decision."

"I know," Tora said with a nod before he leapt to the rooftops. Nibi followed him immediately. They both were unaware that they were thinking along the same lines. _What happened to the boy?_

* * *

**AN: There's chapter one for ya. R&R. PEACE.**


	2. Rider in the Sky

**As I said before, I fixed the name issues some people pointed out. Thank you by the way. Twenty reviews for chapter one, now that's awesome!**

**Rider's Solitude**

**Rider in the Sky**

* * *

Uchiha Sasuke was smiling. He hadn't just killed his elder brother. He hadn't made chunin despite his efforts in the invasion to stop Gaara. No, something much greater has happened that caused the young Uchiha to smile.

His mother had finally woken up.

Sure she was still bed ridden, but it was the fact she was conscious after seven long years of being alone. He sat at her side as the doctor explained why she had to stay in bed. Despite the fact he was still recovering from using the curse seal's chakra, something he wasn't sure he wanted to do again, he wouldn't leave his mother's side until she was well again. When the doctor finished his explanation, he left the two alone. Mikoto looked at her youngest son with a smile.

"You look just like your father when he was younger," the Uchiha matriarch said in a raspy voice from being in a seven year coma, "So handsome...there must be a horde of girls chasing after you."

Sasuke chuckled, "Only the crazy ones, kaasan."

"Tell me, Sasuke-kun," Mikoto whispered, "what happened to your brother after the massacre?"

Sasuke's smile died and he scowled, "He...left. But I promise you mother, I will kill him for what he has done."

A slap echoed through the room and Sasuke found himself staring at the wall with his right cheek stinging. Slowly, he turned and looked back at his mother who looked at him with hard eyes that she used to have while in ANBU. The only difference between those eyes and these were there was disappointment shining in the eyes of the Uchiha matriarch. Sasuke felt his heart drop into his stomach from the disappointment his mother looked at him with.

"I will never hear you speak of that again, young man," she said to him, her voice sounding much more normal than it should, "If you truly loathe your brother, you will capture him and bring him before the council, where _they_ will decide his fate and discover the truth. Do you understand me?"

"H-Hai kaasan," Sasuke stuttered out. Mikoto stared at him in a hard manner before her face returned to a smile and she held her arms out slightly to him. Before he knew what was happening, Sasuke found himself in his mother's arms sobbing to his heart's content while she rubbed his back and whispered to him softly that it would be ok. When Sasuke finished crying, the two Uchiha separated and his mother smiled at him.

"So," Mikoto said softly, "Tell me about your life for the past seven years? I can see you're a genin, your father would be so proud."

Sasuke smiled and subtly wiped the tears remaining in his eye away, "Thanks Kaasan. I am a genin, my Jonin sensei is Hatake Kakashi. I made rookie of the year before I graduated."

Mikoto smiled and cupped her son's cheek, "I'm so proud of you. Tell me, what's your team like?"

Sasuke smiled and began telling his mother about his teammates. When she heard about the Haruno being on his team, she sighed and shook her head, saying softly, "Those fools still play make believe..." When he told her about Naruto being on her team, she arched a brow in question before asking what he had turned out to be like. Sasuke chuckled and told her everything about the knucklehead he considered his rival, including the way he had defeated a monster that the invading Suna shinobi Gaara became. His mother was shocked by that fact and praised Sasuke for being able to admit Naruto's superiority to her without becoming angry.

* * *

Unaware to the two Uchiha, a spikey haired blonde smiled from his spot on the tree branch despite the pang of envy in his heart. He leapt down to the ground, ignoring the jolts of pain that went through his legs and walked away. He was wearing his usual orange jeans and a white tee shirt with a red spiral on it. As he passed through the shadows, he burst into flames before reverting back to normal in the sunlight, his clothing being unscathed. He made a quick turn into the alleyways to avoid the public, being sure not to go into the shadows. Ayame told him exactly what he did the night before, and he was horrified as the memories of the night flowed into his head. He still remembered to this moment the feeling every single one of those innocents had felt from the stare he used.

Naruto shivered the feeling off, preferring to go back to his other thoughts of feeling proud of himself for helping his friend like that. He remembered the Shinigami's deal he had, and knew that if he stayed in the shadows for too long, he would become that...Rider again. Naruto stopped walking and looked around, feeling this area to be familiar. Then it hit him.

Literally.

"Gah! Damned beast!" a civilian cried as he ran up to a large black horse that had bowled the blonde over. He was the local stableman for Konoha, going by the name of Udon, the same name as the boy that Konohamaru had befriended. He was the average height most civilian males were, a good six feet easy, and had the average weight and definition most hardworking men in the village had. He grabbed the reigns of the black steed before looking over at the downed and dazed blonde.

"Oh man, sorry about that Naruto*," Udon said, offering the boy a hand to his feet. Naruto gladly took the hand and stood before looking back at the horse with awe. He had seen a few before, but never up close, and never one so majestic like the one before him. Udon noticed the look and chuckled.

"He may look pretty," the stableman said, earning the blonde's attention, "But in all actuality he's a brute. Not a single person, civilian or shinobi, can ride him. Hell, I can't even ride him, and I raised him from the day he was born!"

"Cool," Naruto breathed after a moment of staring at his horse again, "Does he have a name?"

Udon chuckled and patted the horse on the side lightly, earning a snort of disapproval, "Easy now...His name is Kurofu, the Black Wind."

Naruto smiled at the name, "A nice name. Fits him well, I didn't even hear him coming."

Udon laughed, "Yeah, well we named him after his grandfather. The original Black Wind was wild, no one, not even the Shodai, could calm him enough to attempt riding him. He had broken into the stable one day during mating season and raped one of the mares. From their consummation, a young mare came, Kurofu's mother. She was as timid as her mother before her was, so when Kurofu was born, we expected him to be like her or his father, another easily tamed horse. Guess Kami had other plans in mind."

The horse dropped its head to sniff the blonde in front of him, eventually snorting on his face before licking his cheek once. Naruto groaned at the amount of slobber the horse left while Udon stared on in amazement. After a moment of watching the blonde rub the slobber off his cheek, Udon chuckled.

"I think he likes you, Naruto," Udon said, amazement lingering in his voice. Naruto looked at the stableman before looking back at the horse. Hesitantly, Naruto raised his hand and to both of their amazement, Kurofu moved to push his head against the blonde's hand. Still in awe, Naruto lightly pet the head of the horse while Udon dropped the reigns while his jaw dropped. Taking his straw hat off and revealing his shaved head to the sky as he scratched it, Udon spoke.

"Well fuck me sideways and call me a son of a bitch," the stableman said, "I reckon he likes you."

"Yeah, well, he ain't so bad," Naruto said after a moment, happily petting the horse now, "I wonder if it's because I smell like ramen?"

"I doubt it," Udon said with a smile, "Ole Kurofu here is very picky, only eating carrots."

Naruto smiled and moved his hand to lightly stroke the neck of the horse. Kurofu snorted in pleasure, butting his head under the arm of the blonde. Naruto laughed and patted the horse once again on his head. Udon watched all this with a smile before speaking again.

"Naruto," the blonde looked over at the stableman, his hand still on the horse's head, "Would you like to come to the ranch and ride Kurofu?"

Naruto blinked before pointing at himself, "M-Me?"

"Yes you," Udon said with a nod, "I think it's about time that we got someone to take the oaf for a ride, who better than the most hyperactive kid in Konoha?"

Naruto chuckled and nodded, "Yeah...Mind if I try now?"

"I don't see why not," Udon said with a shrug before he pulled a scroll out, "Most civilians don't remember their sealing lessons from the academy, but ranchers or breeders like me keep them close to heart."

"I remember that day in class," Naruto nodded, "Iruka-sensei just rambled on and on about proper chakra control, but I learned from Ero-sennin that you don't need control of any kind to properly make a seal, just a good posture in hand writing. Man, that was the worst day in my training..."

Udon laughed at the blonde's expense before Naruto joined in with him. Kurofu whinnied, showing his own amusement, making the two laugh even harder. When their laughter died down, Udon unsealed a mount from his scroll and attached it to the back of the stallion. When it was properly set, he assisted Naruto with climbing aboard the horse. When Naruto managed to sit still for more than five minutes without Kurofu kicking him off, Udon knew the horse had decided on his rider.

"Well, as far as I'm concerned, he's all yours," the stableman said, giving the bandaged blonde the scroll in his hand, "But if you need a place for him to stay until you get your own home outside of the apartment you live in, he's more than welcome to come back with me."

Naruto nodded and stroked the neck of Kurofu before he spoke again, "I think that sounds good, how about you, Kurofu?"

The horse snorted and nodded his head. Udon simply shook his head in amazement before leading the two towards his family's stable. Naruto smiled and was about to hop off when Kurofu suddenly went towards a tree. Fear taking over, Naruto tried to steer the horse away from the shade it was heading towards, but it was to no avail. Naruto turned to look at the stableman for help when he saw him frozen in mid step.

Naruto looked ahead to see he was under the tree and was shocked that he didn't feel any of the burning that he had felt when he first changed into the Rider. Looking at the horse beneath him, he was shocked to see a skeletal zombie-like horse that was aflame calmly eating an apple from the hands of a familiar person. The skeletal being narrowed his eyes before dismounting the horse in an expert fashion. He glared at the Death God before him.

"You've found your steed," Mephistopheles said as he patted the horse on the snout, "A good breed too, descendant of the first rider from the Elemental Nations."

"**What did I do last night?"** Naruto Rider asked as his flaming fists balled at his side. Mephistopheles chuckled and moved the cane from under his arm to his hand and set it before him like he often did.

"You did your job, my dear boy," the Shinigami said with a sinister smile, "And now I have a new duty for you."

"**You made me kill a man! An ANBU as well!"** Naruto snarled, his eyes flashing red. The smile on Mephistopheles' face dropped and he spoke in an even tone.

"I did nothing to provoke your actions," he said, "In fact, that was all you, my boy. Sure, I granted you the power, but that was part of the deal."

"**Take your deal and shove it up your ass! I didn't ask for this!"** the Rider said looking at his hands, **"...what will my friends think?"**

Mephistopheles tisked and shook his head before walking around the boy and putting a hand on his shoulder, "Friends? I thought they were your, 'precious people'. Your..._possessions_."

Naruto's head shot up and his eyes narrowed, **"Shut up."**

"Oh, you deluded yourself into thinking they were your friends, didn't you?" the Shinigami asked, his smile growing slightly, "All to protect yourself from the truth. You don't have friends...you have acquaintances."

Naruto's flaming fists shook with anger and Kurofu took a step to the side. Mephistopheles continued to smile and pressed on, "Not even your Senseis befriended you...you know it's true. The only one that ever genuinely cared about you is dead. Poor, poor little demon child."

"**S-Shut up!"** Naruto growled, his eyes now glowing a bright red, **"Shut your goddamn face before I do it for you!"**

"Oh that's more like the Riders I know," Mephistopheles said with a grin, "Defiant and filled with lonesome. All near the brink of mental disorder and most of them heavily suicidal. All of them...except you."

Naruto's anger slowly dropped as his curiosity grew. The shinigami chuckled and continued, "You not only used my deal in a non-selfish manner, but called me to you because of your selfish goals and dreams. 'I will be Hokage. I will be accepted.' Bah! You are the container of the Kyuubi no Kitsune! Why would they ever _care_ about _you_? The moment you die, Kyuubi dies as well. It's of no concern to them when you die, so long as you do before your 'dream' becomes a reality."

Naruto looked down at the ground in shame. The god before him was right in every way, but he wouldn't accept it without a fight. That was before Mephistopheles continued, "And what of the girl that saw your actions before? She must have been horrified when she spoke about it, holding herself and not making eye contact with you. What would your 'friends' think indeed? Or the village for that manner? Their demon container had sold his soul to the devil...they might just try and kill you! But they can't because of our deal, nor can they banish you. You would have to live alone, _for the rest of your life._"

Naruto's black orb eyes shut as a liquid fire poured from them. Mephistopheles' smile grew as the Rider accepted what he was and what his 'destiny' would become. His first phase was complete, instill doubt in the Rider. Phase two would be more difficult for him to do before he fully gained the soul of the boy before him. It was all that mattered to the Shinigami. Not only would he receive the Kyuubi's soul, but one of the most pure children ever to grace the Earth would belong solely to him, his Sister be damned.

Naruto fell to his knees as his flame tears died down. He placed his skeletal hands on the ground before he spoke quietly, **"...What do I have to do?"**

Mephistopheles smiled before bending over and whispering into the boy's ear, "You must deliver the soul of Orochimaru to me. He is but the first of your next few jobs, if you manage to kill him."

Naruto nodded as he stayed on his knees. When the end of the cane came under the Rider's chin and tilted it up, Mephistopheles smiled down at him.

"Now just because what I said may be true, doesn't mean it has to be," the devil told him, "Just do as I say, and that small wish of not being alone might come true."

Naruto nodded and stood, bowing his head once again. Mephistopheles smiled and placed his cane on the ground before speaking again, "Be sure not to disappoint me, Rider."

"**Yes...Mephistopheles-sama,"** the boy replied. The shinigami grinned before vanishing the same way he did the night before. Naruto led Kurofu out of the shade where they both returned to normal before time unfroze. Udon continued walking towards the stable, looking back at the two with shock.

"When did you dismount? I didn't even hear you," he said. Naruto smiled and patted Kurofu's side.

"Well, I am a badass ninja," the blonde replied, earning a chuckle from the man. Udon showed him around the stable before showing him the riding area. Naruto remounted the stallion in an expert fashion before lightly leading Kurofu around the area in a slow manner. Flicking the reigns in his hands, Naruto made the horse speed up. He enjoyed the feeling of riding Kurofu as the speed caused wind to blow in his face as it seemed to send his worries to the back of his mind.

It would distract him until the sun went down, when his problems would come back at full force.

* * *

**Aww...poor Naruto, all alone. But his ride is now known to the world, which is good! Great in fact!**

**1. Everyone knows who Naruto is because of his pranks, the adults because of his burden. It's common sense, people.**

**R&R. PEACE.**


	3. Inside the fire

**There was a power outage all day yesterday! Ugh, it sucked! I couldn't write anything at all! Totally sucked ass!**

**Rider's Solitude**

**Inside the Fire**

* * *

Uchiha Mikoto walked home with her son later in the day, dressed in the same blue and white yakuta that had the Uchiha crest on its shoulder. Sasuke was practically glowing now that he wasn't alone anymore, and he had felt as though a huge chip left his shoulders when his kaasan snapped him from his superiority complex that was a residue of his father's ways. When she asked if he knew why Itachi had done what he did to their clan, Sasuke had no response other than, "I thought you would know..."

Mikoto shook her head, "No, sochi, I don't. I'm sorry."

"We'll just have to get the answers out of him when I bring his ass back, then!" the teen said, punching one hand into the other. Mikoto lightly whacked his head.

"Watch your mouth, Sasu-chan!" she scolded. Sasuke bowed his head.

"Gomen, Kaasan," he apologized. The two continued their walk towards the Uchiha district when they walked into a certain white haired jonin. Kakashi's eye widened to the size of a dinner plate and he stored his Icha Icha in his back pouch quickly. He gave the two Uchihas his signature eye smile and waved.

"Yo Sasuke," he greeted before nodding towards Mikoto, "Mikoto-sempai. Good to see you up and about after so long."

"Thank you, Kakashi-kun," the woman replied with a smile, "I've heard much about your work with my son."

Kakashi continued to eye smile while internally he dreaded her actions. If she knew he had only taught them tree walking a few months before their chunin exams he would most likely be praying from a hospital bed that the pain would reside for the next few weeks.

Unfortunately for Kakashi, this was the case. Mikoto suddenly imbedded her elbow into his stomach and followed through with a right uppercut to his jaw, knocking the elite shinobi onto his back a few feet from them. Sasuke was in awe, his jaw popped open slightly before concern for his mother came to mind.

"Kaasan, the doctor said not to over exert yourself!" the boy said. He had just gotten his mother back after seven years after all; he has a right to worry about losing her. Mikoto turned and smiled at her son, walking towards him and kissing him softly on the forehead.

"Thank you, Sasu-chan," she said, "But I know my limits."

Turning back to the dazed jonin, Mikoto frowned, "Now get off your ass, Kakashi-kun. You were one of the best, all until that day when _it_ attacked. Don't tell me you still sulk over it with guilt!"

Kakashi slowly got back to his feet and looked at the ground. Mikoto sighed, afraid this was the truth, before patting the taller man on his cheek. He was much like her first son, with her training him in his Sharingan after the Yondaime asked her for the favor, and she knew him more than he knew himself sometimes. The white haired jonin looked at his sensei, not really surprised to see the kindness resonating in her coal black eyes.

"You would make my oututo proud, Kakashi," she said softly with a smile, "No matter how much guilt you feel, it was out of your hands."

Kakashi nodded dumbly and he looked over at his normally brooding student, surprised to see him smiling slightly at him. What shocked Kakashi even more was when he walked over to the two and bowed his head in respect before looking at the silver haired jonin with kindness.

"Kakashi-sensei," Sasuke said in a respectful tone, "Would it be ok if my Kaasan observed our next training session?"

Kakashi blinked before giving his star pupil an eye smile and replied with, "I would be honored if she did. I'll inform Sakura. She should be at her home and if she isn't there...I believe her parents were having her do some errands today, so keep an eye out for her."

"I'll tell the dobe then," Sasuke replied with a slight smile. The two Uchiha bowed to Kakashi before walking away. The silver haired man then leaned against the wall of the building and looked at the sky. He ran a hand over his face to clear away the sweat that had built up from seeing his sensei and the way his student was acting. Before he moved, a smoke bomb dropped from the sky and he was suddenly covered in slime, a note floating down before his feet. On said note was a warning about his teaching methods and a Chibi Mikoto with her Sharingan active and a victory sign held up.

After staring in disbelief for a few moments as people walking by gave him odd looks, Kakashi crumpled the note and shook his head, chuckling to himself as he thought about his sensei and students.

* * *

Said blonde was still riding Kurofu around the ranch, feeling all his problems wash away when a voice entered his head.

_This is nice, Naruto-sama..._ it said.

Naruto nearly fell off of the black steed before pulling on the reigns slightly to stop the horse. After calming Kurofu slightly from the sudden stop, Naruto looked around for the source.

_Is there any reason why we stopped, Naruto-sama?_ The voice asked. Naruto looked down at Kurofu to find the black steed staring back at him almost questionably.

"Are you talking to me?" the blonde asked after a moment of staring at each other. The horse nodded his head before the voice spoke up again.

_Hai, Naruto-sama. Mephistopheles-sama granted me this gift when he visited us. Why were you so upset with him, Naruto-sama?_ The horse asked innocently. Naruto chuckled and dismounted, hopping to the ground with ease before patting the horse on his side.

"I...did something I wasn't used to and took it out on him," he replied. The horse nodded his head slightly.

_Oh, I understand. The bounties. Kurofu-jiji told me about them often before he died,_ Kurofu said to the blonde. Naruto arched a brow before experimenting and sending a thought back.

_What did your Jiji tell you about bounties and riders?_ He asked the steed. Kurofu remained silent before closing his eyes as he thought back to his rider.

_Kurofu-jiji told me a lot about his life as a rider's steed,_ Kurofu thought, _His Rider died during the second war, and seeing as no one would sell their soul for the third, he lived his days out in the wild. He tried to turn Kaasan to his ways as a rider's steed, but she wouldn't. I took to his ways, his stories were much more exciting than being a simple traveling steed that my birth father was. I decided after hearing my Jiji's stories that I would not allow anyone else save for a Rider to ride me, not even Udon-san. I was excited when I felt the chakra Kurofu-jiji described a Rider to have last night. Earlier today, I felt it again and ran into you._

Naruto grinned and patted the horse on the head before pulling a carrot out of his pocket and raising it to the horse's mouth, which Kurofu gladly accepted. Sensing a presence behind him, Naruto turned to see Udon leading his surprisingly chipper teammate and his mother over to them. Seeing the newcomers put Kurofu on edge, but Naruto calmed him with slight pats on the head.

"Hey Dobe," Sasuke greeted with a grin when they were close enough, "What're you doing with a horse?"

Naruto smirked and moved his hand to pat Kurofu's unnerved neck to calm him again, "It's ok, Kurofu...This is _my_ horse, Teme. His name is Kurofu and he's faster than any other horse here."

Sasuke was about to retort as he used to the blonde's bragging with a challenge, but stopped himself and smiled at his rival, "That's cool, Naruto."

Taken aback by the few words his teammate gave him, Naruto stopped patting the horse and moved his hand to Sasuke's forehead. Annoyed, Sasuke slapped the blonde's hand away and scowled.

"What's wrong with you, Dobe?" Naruto grinned at the raven haired boy's response.

"Oh thank...never mind," Naruto cut himself off before continuing with his original train of thought, "I thought something was wrong with you for a minute there!"

"Nothing is wrong with me, Dobe," Sasuke said with a small smile, "My mom finally woke up from her coma."

Naruto slowly smiled, glad his friend was happy, but fought back the pang of envy he felt. He looked over at the woman and found she was very, very beautiful. She smiled kindly at him and when she spoke, Naruto's envy to his friend only grew as her voice had to be similar to that of an angel's.

"Hello, Naruto-kun," she said kindly, "Sasu-chan has told me much about you. Thank you for saving the village from the Suna demon."

"Ah, it was nothing," Naruto said with slight embarrassment as he rubbed his neck, "Gaara was tough, but he's ok now. He was just confused and that Snake Bastard took advantage of him and his village."

The mentioning of Orochimaru made Sasuke's head snap up with a wince and he clutched at his neck. Naruto and Mikoto noticed this and turned their attention to him with worry in their expressions. Faster than either boy could comprehend, Mikoto was examining the seal on Sasuke's neck. A scowl crossed her face as she hissed his name laced with hatred, "Orochimaru..."

Naruto's head throbbed as heat went over him and his skull felt like it was on fire. He looked up to see the sky darkening and his eyes widened. He quickly jumped onto Kurofu's back and cracked the reigns, ignoring the cry coming from Sasuke's mom as he and his ride ran towards the gate.

Mikoto looked down at her son to see him recovering from the pain he felt. He looked up to see his friend gone and his mother looking between him with worry and towards the fading white back of his friend. Slightly annoyed by the action of his teammate, Sasuke started running after him only to look back at his mother. To his surprise, Mikoto wasn't behind him anymore but now standing at his side.

"Kaasan..." Sasuke started with worry in his voice. Mikoto smiled down at her worried son and cupped his cheek.

"I know my limits, Sasu-chan," she said once again, "Now let's go see what's wrong with your oututo, ne?"

She ran off, leaving Sasuke in a daze before he blinked and recognition of what she said came to him.

"'Oututo?'" he repeated. With wide eyes, he dashed after his mother, "Wait! Kaasan! What did you mean by Oututo?"

* * *

Naruto rode quickly as the sun set. He had to get out of the village before the sun was down so he wouldn't be distracted as he went after Orochimaru. That and he didn't want to kill another Konoha shinobi, even if they were messed up in the head like Koga or the ANBU rookie was. So enveloped in his thoughts was he, Naruto was unaware the two Uchiha were gaining on him. When the last rays of the sun had vanished, Naruto cracked Kurofu's reigns and they were both combusted into flames before reverting to their Rider and Ride forms. His Rider instincts now in full effect, he pulled Kurofu Ride to a stop and dismounted him, still looking forward as two souls approached them. Slowly reaching into his pocket, Naruto Rider pulled the ANBU rookie's chain weapon out and readied it in his left hand.

Sasuke and Mikoto froze when they came across the skeletal form of Naruto Rider and Kurofu Ride. Sasuke was in awe of the form his friend had taken, unsure of what this technique was, while Mikoto gasped slightly.

"**Get back..."** Naruto rider warned them, looking over his left shoulder in their direction. Sasuke was frozen with fear, feeling ten times the killing intent that Zabuza had given when he was in the Kiri nin's Mist technique. Two voices filled the Uchiha's ears, one making both of them gasp.

"I said be silent, Kisame," a stoic, almost icy voice said as it neared. A gruffer voice scoffed.

"And I said, bite me, Itachi," the apparent Kisame said. The two Uchiha were frozen, overwhelmed with emotions as the missing nin Uchiha Itachi walked into the clearing along with a six foot seven tall man that was completely blue, wearing a Kirigakure hetai-ite mask similar to the Nidaime Hokage's hetai-ite. His hetai-ite, however, had a large gash through it, similar to the one in Itachi's headband. They were both dressed in black cloaks with red clouds decorating the cloak. They both looked at the flaming skull in front of them and froze at the killing intent that filled the area.

"What the fuck is that?" Kisame said after staring for a moment. The flaming being that was Naruto Rider raised his right hand and pointed at Kisame with a bony finger.

"**You,"** He said, **"Guilty."**

Kisame was unaware for the chain suddenly flying towards him, but he pulled the blade attached to his back out and let the chain wrap around it. With a feral grin, Kisame spoke to him, "So what's the deal, brat? We get a name or we just gonna tango?"

The Rider's black eyes narrowed and he grabbed the chain with both hands, flicking both his wrists and setting the chain aflame with an unholy fire. The blade in Kisame's hand released a shrill sound and started moving around in order to remove the chain from it. Kisame's eyes were wide and his grin dropped as he witnessed this.

"H-Hey! What the hell are you doing to my sword?" the shark man asked as he tried to pull Samehada out of the burning chain's grip. Naruto pulled on the chain with his right hand, yanking the sword from Kisame's hold. It landed in the Rider's open left hand, where the flame enveloped it, causing it to shrill even more before the scales on it started melting away.

Kisame blanched before he started to go through the required hand seals for a Suiton technique. He finished and sucked in some air before spewing water out, his voice echoing throughout the area, "**Suiton: Hidora-ho!**"

The water covered the flaming being completely, making steam rise in its stead. With a smirk on his face, Kisame stepped forward, prepared to reclaim his weapon, but was caught off guard when a normal chain weapon wrapped around his ankle. Looking down, Kisame was again wide eyed when he was dropped on his back. The blue skinned man shook his head from the daze of landing on a rock and looked up to see a skull seemingly floating above a white tee shirt. Before his eyes, the skull burst into flames and the flames filled the area under the shirt and enveloped its arms.

"**Hoshikagi Kisame," **it said, **"Your deal is invalid and your soul is stained by the blood of the innocent."**

Kisame gathered enough of his surroundings before the first phrase actually hit him. With wide eyes, Kisame started slowly scooting away. With a stutter, he spoke, "H-Hey...Come on, now. I'm sure we can work something out! Right?"

The skull being slammed a flaming sandal into the shark man's chest, making Kisame wince. He looked back up to see the narrowed black eyes belonging to the skull slowly glowing red. He was entranced by them, feeling as though if he looked away he would never discover what mysteries they held.

"**Feel the pain of those you sinned against!"** Naruto Rider snarled, his eyes glowing brightly. Kisame started screaming as he felt all the wrongs against many innocent people as though they were done to him at once. His head was on fire as he saw a flash of the shinigami laughing at him, taunting him while holding the sword he made a contract with said entity to forge. The contract's basis echoed in his head in his own voice.

"_The Samehada shall be mine so long as I honorably serve the will of the Mist._"

Itachi watched, frozen just as his younger brother and mother were, as his partner writhed on the ground in pain. His Mangekyo Sharingan was active, and he couldn't break whatever genjutsu was on his partner. Kisame was not that important to Itachi, but the Beast of the Mist was needed for their master's plans to go into full effect. Itachi suffered deep in his subconscious, from being raised as a Konoha shinobi, as his partner couldn't be saved from his own specialty. Externally, he was sweating as he worried his own state. It was then he noticed the two raven haired people standing opposite of himself and his eyes widened further, his own heart panging slightly from guilt at the sight of his mother. He was sure she was only an apparition, but when he tried to clear the genjutsu that he believed her to be a part of, there was no use.

"Kaasan," The nukenin Uchiha finally breathed out. Mikoto and Sasuke both looked up at the red eyed raven haired man that stood frozen across from them. A long silence echoed throughout the area before it was broken by a certain flaming skull.

"**You..."** his voice said. The Uchiha all turned their heads to look at the Rider to see him pointing at Itachi. Sasuke waited to hear his brother's judgment, knowing that he would have to try and make sure Itachi would be brought before the council so he wouldn't suffer at his teammate's hand as the shark man, Kisame, did.

"**Innocent."** Naruto finally said as his hand dropped. The Uchiha were all shocked, Itachi's shock dropping slightly before he relaxed his stance, while his mother and brother looked between them with confusion.

He looked down at the deceased Kisame and went over his own attire. His hetai-ite was burnt to a crisp, save for the metal plate, and it lay at his burning feet. His clothes were starting to catch fire and if he didn't get to a secure area soon, he'd be stark naked. A scroll came flying from his left and bounced off the flames, not combusting at all. Naruto Rider looked over at the nukenin Uchiha, curiosity showing in his completely black eye sockets.

"Those are my old clothes, Uzumaki," Itachi said as he walked away, shocking the Rider and the Uchiha, "From when I first went Nukenin. In there is also a scroll meant for the next Kage, explaining the massacre. Feel free to let my Kaasan and oututo read it..."

"**...Thank you..."** the Rider said hesitantly before unrolling the scroll and unsealing the smaller clothes. The old ANBU attire that was made for someone of his age fit snugly. He pulled the ANBU slacks on; unaware that Mikoto and Sasuke had both turned to give him some privacy. The Rider was surprised to see he was now all skeleton and flames rather than only the top half of his being. The pants fit snugly and he could feel them easily slip on, as though the flames were his skin. Moving to the sandals, he was surprised to see Itachi had also snuck in the same feet covers that he and Kisame were wearing rather than ANBU shin guards. Like the pants, the footwear fit perfectly.

Moving then to the shirt, he tossed the black skintight sleeveless shirt aside as well as the black sleeves meant to protect his arm. Naruto slide the chest armor on over his flaming body, surprised it fit snugly around him. He then pulled the gauntlets on, again shocked when his flames covered them and caused spikes to pop out over the brass knuckles that were built into the gauntlets.

Sasuke, being tired of giving his teammate some privacy and was now curious as to what really happened to his clan, turned and was about to demand answers when he came upon a frightening sight. The flaming skull known as Naruto was standing over the dead body of Kisame and pulling the Kiri nuke nin's hetai-ite off his head. Once the helm was off, the Rider then melted the metal plate of the hetai-ite off and grabbed his own metal plate, welding that one in the previous one's place. Naruto Rider finished his attire by pulling the helm on, making the unnatural out of control flame stop under his jaw while still going over most of his face and flowing over the top of his head.

"Holy shit..." Sasuke breathed. Naruto looked over at his friend, and gave him the best friendly grin he could manage.

"**Jealous, teme?"** the Rider asked with a chuckle before sighing sadly, **"I'm sorry I let him leave, Sasuke...he was in no wrong though..."**

Sasuke was silent before walking over and cautiously putting his hand on the still flaming shoulder of his friend. Both were surprised by the lack of pain to shoot through Sasuke's hand. Brushing the surprise off, Sasuke spoke, "Naruto...we might not have been the best teammates in the beginning, but today my life has been completely turned around. I think I can let this slide..._once_."

Naruto arched a brow in amusement, making the young Uchiha chuckle at the look of a skeleton seeming amused, before the Rider's attention went to the woman that he brought back through his deal with Mephistopheles. Mikoto slowly approached the two friends before crouching slightly to their height. She raised a hand towards Naruto's flaming head and suddenly realizing his state; the teen Rider became disgusted with himself and turned away.

"**Monster..."** He said, shrugging Sasuke's hand off his shoulder and turning to walk towards his ride when a hand firmly grabbed his shoulder. Turning around to tell Sasuke off, the Rider froze when Mikoto was in front of him so they were at eye level. Bringing her hand up to cup his cheek, the flame covering his bone face turned blue before it started to disperse and he reverted back to his original form.

Mikoto smiled and rubbed a thumb under his eye before speaking softly, "You look just like Minato and yet you act so much like Kushina. Thinking of others before yourself..."

Sasuke watched as his mother spoke to his friend in a motherly manner before something came to his mind. Looking at his mother he spoke, "Wait! Kaasan, what was that about Naruto being my oututo?"

Naruto blinked and looked from the still confused Sasuke to his mother with wide eyes. Mikoto smiled and dropped her hand from the blonde's whiskered cheek. She looked at her son before looking back at the blonde and sighing slightly. Moving her hand to the blonde's shoulder, she moved some chakra into her hand and a small barely visible seal appeared.

"Minato was a genius in fuuinjutsu," Mikoto said softly, "But Danzo was an even greater one in fooling the Hokage. He sealed you away from the world, from your family, to keep the Sharingan under his control."

"Kaasan?" Sasuke spoke with a tight voice, "W-What are you saying?"

Mikoto sighed and pushed even more chakra into Naruto's shoulder, making the blonde yelp. The small seal dispersed and a change overcame Naruto. His eyes turned a darker shade of blue and his hair darkened from the sun kissed color that it was, becoming more similar to that of Gaara's sister Temari. His skin tone lightened from the reddish tan he had into a more natural tan color. He grew slightly so the clothes were no longer loose but snug, just like when he was Rider. Sasuke gasped at the change, surprised that his kaasan knew about this.

"Naruto was the son of both the Yondaime Hokage and of my best friend Uzumaki Kushina," the Uchiha Matriarch said, "But it was unknown to most of the general public that easily recognizes Naruto as either of their child that Kushina was unable to create fertile eggs. Being my best friend, I offered her an egg transplant which our friend, Senju Tsunade, a distant cousin of Kushina's and one of the three Sannin, did for us. Technically...you're my son too."

The response she got from both boys could be considered comical as they both promptly passed out. Kurofu whinnied and went to his downed Rider's side. He had been watching from the sidelines, enthralled at the action his Rider showed, but was now concerned. He looked over at the Uchiha mistress, who Naruto had told him earlier when they first met was of pure heart, and she smiled at him.

"Well that wasn't expected now was it, Kurofu-san?" she asked, earning another whinny from the horse and chuckling at his response. Carefully, so as not to strain herself, Mikoto moved the two unconscious preteens to Kurofu's back and led the horse back to the village.

* * *

**There, a third chapter. Finally got that out of my system. R&R. PEACE. **


	4. Family Reunion

**I apologize for the lack of updating...My grandfather had just passed away and my family is trying to keep it together. I would like to say first and foremost not to expect a lot of updates soon, because this month is going to be hectic for us. I thank you beforehand for your condolences and your reviews. Now, let us continue with the story.**

**Rider's Solitude**

**Family Reunion**

* * *

Naruto and Sasuke sat next to each other across from Mikoto at the family table of the head Uchiha household while Kurofu rested on the Uchiha grounds, exploring while the humans talked. The woman smiled at the two boys, each looking like their respective fathers (and mother in Naruto's case), and the boys fidgeted in their seats. Mikoto had finished explaining to them again how Naruto was partially her son. Although it was highly unknown, Uchiha Fugaku was one of Namikaze Minato's closest friends during his reign as Yondaime, and that was why he agreed to allow Mikoto to assist her friend in their issue. When the villagers tried to exact vengeance on the blonde for the deaths of the many at the hands of the Kyuubi, Fugaku and several other Uchiha Police Force members stepped in, a few ANBU among them, before anything serious could happen. Naruto was shocked, as was Sasuke, when Mikoto finished telling them about that incident.

"...Fugaku-oji did that for me?" the blue eyed blonde asked quietly. Mikoto smiled and nodded.

"Hai," she replied, "Fugaku-kun may not have shown it after that, but he cared for you greatly Naruto-kun. Minato-kun was as much his friend as he was mine, and the fact you are my sochi in a way only increased his concern for you. Many times, in secret, he tried to adopt you into the clan, only to be interrupted by the civilians or the advisors. I'm sorry we couldn't be there for you, Naruto-kun"

Naruto smiled and looked down at his hands while Sasuke shook his head in disbelief before sneaking a glance at the Rider.

_So the dobe is my aniki, eh?_ Sasuke thought with a smile, _and he's got some new power or something...maybe, just maybe, he will become Hokage...He is an Uchiha after all._

Naruto snapped his head up as a question came to his mind and he looked at Mikoto, "Mikoto-kaasan...will I develop the Sharingan?"

Mikoto thought about his question for a moment before answering, "I don't know, Naruto-kun. Maybe..."

"I hope I don't," Naruto admitted, the two Uchiha looking at him with surprise, "Don't get me wrong, under other circumstances I would give an arm or a leg for a kekkei genkai as strong as yours, but...with this...this _curse_...I think it would be bad."

Sasuke sat back in his chair and mused over that statement, "Are you talking about Kyuubi or your Deal?"

The blonde looked at his older brother, something he found incredibly amusing, and replied in a deadpanned tone, "Both."

* * *

A week had gone by since the revelation revealed to the two Uchiha, Naruto had decided to keep his name to respect his mother, father and the Sandaime, but he had moved from his apartment into the Uchiha Clan District at the request of both Sasuke and Mikoto.

The first team training session had gone incredibly well, especially after Kakashi was pulled aside by Mikoto and had the situation explained to him. The Deal was left up to Naruto to explain, of course, but everything else (save for the brutal killing of Kisame as that fell under the whole Deal thing) was explained to the jonin.

Sakura was aware of the changes in Naruto's physique and appearance, his helm-like hetai-ite being the most noticeable change, and asked him about it. Naruto politely declined any specific answer, to which the pink haired girl slammed her fist into his head as a reply, or she tried to.

"Hold still baka!" Sakura shrieked, infuriated at the blonde for his dismissal. Her second punch was dodged swiftly as well by her target, only causing her to become even more upset. Sasuke stood on the sidelines, idly cleaning his father's wakizashi as he watched. He had taken the weapon from its case to begin training in his family's swordsmanship, seeing as he now had a teacher in the Uchiha style.

Naruto quickly maneuvered out of her way and wrapped his chain around her wrist, pulling it back behind her and wrapping his free arm around her neck. When the girl yelped in pain from the pressure on her shoulder before she started gasping for air, Naruto's eyes widened and he released her, dropping her on the ground as the chain slacked. He took a few steps back.

Mikoto and Kakashi looked over when they heard Sakura's yelp. While Kakashi was astounded by Naruto's newfound skills, Mikoto's eyes on the blonde were those of concern, similar to how the boy's older brother looked at him. Naruto took another step back and looked down at his hands as a flash came across his vision.

"_**NARUTO!"**_ a demonic voice, different from his tenant's voice, shouted. A vision of a completely flame covered entity entered his mind, the eyes glowing a bright blue. Its form looked like his own and it raised its hand out to him before the vision vanished and he fell to the ground, his hands holding his head as he groaned in pain. Flames flickered alive around him, enclosing the blonde in their heat.

"Naruto!" Sasuke exclaimed in concern before he too was greeted with a vision crossed with pain from his neck. His was different, however, as a man wearing the Uchiha fan on the front of his blue samurai armor while his short black hair, styled similar to Sasuke's only with a ponytail, stood in front of him. Sasuke looked around, seeing time had frozen. His mother was in the middle of rushing to Naruto's side while Kakashi had taken a step back in shock. Sakura was holding her throat, staring at the blonde with wide eyes and scooting away from him.

"Sasuke," a voice said from behind him, making the heir to the Uchiha clan turn to face him. Sasuke gasped as he was face to face with a splitting image of himself, only about ten years older. The young heir swallowed as the doppelgänger smiled down at him.

"Who are you?" Sasuke asked as his eyes narrowed in suspicion. The duplicate chuckled and smiled at him again.

"Now I see what Madara wants from you," the man said with a smile. The name made Sasuke freeze in his place while the duplicate continued, "I am Uchiha Izuna. I am here to tell you, Sasuke, three tasks bestowed upon you by the almighty Kami-sama herself and I have little time, so do **not** interrupt me. First; the curse mark on your neck must be eliminated, for if it isn't, your mind will be corrupted. I do not know what to do about it, but I was informed that your brother's power would have a part to play. Second; Beware the Oto. They are strong, stronger than you or your brother unless you complete the first task. And finally, whatever happens, no matter what you think would be the proper thing to do, do _**NOT**_ allow your brother to be alone in a battle."

"Why should I care if Itachi is alo-Oh...you mean the dobe," Sasuke said as realization crossed his face. Izuna nodded, his face deadly serious. His hand extended and he pressed his palm against his head.

"I will grant you one thing though, one gift against Kami-sama's brother's servants," Izuna said as his hand glowed, "The advancement of the Sharingan, the Holy Eternal Sharingan."

Sasuke's eyes changed to their Sharingan state, three tomoes in each eye before they were reformed into the shape of a biohazard symbol. The background of his eyes flashed to black while his pupil and the tomoes along with them were bright red. He groaned and held his head as the image of Izuna faded away and time resumed.

* * *

"Naruto-kun!" Mikoto cried, kneeling as close as she could be at the blonde's side as he held his head and whimpered in pain as the flames danced around him. Sasuke groaned as his Sharingan canceled and his curse mark flared. He walked over to his downed brother while clutching at his neck, something that wasn't lost on his sensei. When Sasuke appeared at Naruto's other side, the flames exploded and Naruto rose with a roar as his Rider form took effect. Sasuke stepped back and swore as his curse mark flared again. Mikoto shielded her eyes as Naruto's flames turned a dark red and his skull changed into a more demonic form, revealing the true Spirit of Vengeance. Time slowed again for the two, as a black light emitted from the Rider.

"_**Hmm,"**_ he mused as he examined his even sharper canines and glanced over at Sasuke, his ruby red eyes glowing brightly, _**"So that is what he is up to...come here, Uchiha-san. I must cure you."**_

Sasuke narrowed his eyes as he clutched onto his neck, "You are not Naruto."

'Naruto' chuckled, _**"Indeed, I am not the vessel. I am Zarathos, the strength of the Rider. You bare the mark of Blackheart; a mark symbolizing insanity or death. I will cure you by adding some of my essence to battle the Blackheart within you. The results may affect your appearance, but I do not know the extent."**_

As Sasuke took all this information in, he looked around and arched a brow, "Did you really have to freeze time?"

"_**No,"**_ Zarathos said, snapping his fingers and unfreezing time. Kakashi, who was in the middle of leaping into action, landed ungracefully, but rebalanced himself and pulled a kunai out, preparing to rush the demon.

"I'm sorry, Naruto!" Kakashi shouted, preparing to stop the jinchuriki. Zarathos scowled and raised one hand in preparation to retaliate, only for Mikoto to leap in between the two.

"Kaka-baka, stop it!" Mikoto shouted in a scolding manner. The jonin instantly froze, his form tensing, while Zarathos rolled his neck and relaxed. The entity of Vengeance knew who the woman was because of his link with his vessel.

"Mikoto-sempai," Kakashi started, only to be interrupted when Zarathos suddenly slapped his other hand on Sasuke's neck, the Uchiha's cry getting everyone's attention. A black flame enclosed the heir, making everyone aside from the entity cry out in worry.

"_**Oh get over it, Uchiha-san,"**_ Zarathos scoffed, everyone looking at the demonic skull as though he was crazy, _**"What you are going through is nothing compared to what my vessel has gone through...speaking of which: Goka Bunshin (Hellfire clone)"**_

With a snap of his fingers, a duplicate version of Zarathos Rider appeared while the original reverted back to the original form of Naruto Rider. Naruto groaned and held his head before jumping in alarm at the sight of the Zarathos Rider.

"**What the fuck is that?"** Naruto rider asked, pointing at the entity with a skeletal finger before realizing he was in his Rider form, **"What the fuck am I doing as the Rider?"**

"_**And I thought you were innocent,"**_ Zarathos chuckled with a shake of his head before gesturing to the dying black flames, _**"The curse mark is keeping you in your Rider form. The Uchiha is alive, just so everyone knows. If you ever need anything Vessel, just ask for the Vengeance."**_

The clone dispersed with a burst of flames, the smell of brimstone lofting in the air. Naruto was very confused as he looked at the black flames to see his older brother rise from it. Everyone, the Rider included, gasped at his new features.

Coming from his head were two small horns and his skin had turned into a dulled bluish-grey. His hair was the same color as before, but now was longer. His irises and pupils were a bright red while the rest of the eye was white. The heir to the Uchiha clan panted slightly, taking in slight gulps of air before looking at everyone.

"What?" Sasuke asked, his voice slightly deeper. The boy noticed his voice changed and looked at his brother, wondering why he was in his Rider form. They both looked at each other and were about to ask each other something when a team of Root ANBU suddenly leapt down and pointed their blades at the Rider's throat. Sasuke's eyes widened, as did Mikoto's, when Naruto went rigid.

"Uzumaki Naruto," the Root captain, a man wearing a Tora mask with an odd mark on the forehead and wearing a custom-made leather jacket, the sleeves cut off at the elbow and small spikes along the shoulders and traps, started, "The acting heads of Konoha have deemed you guilty of the murders of various villagers and shinobi, how do you plead?"

The skeleton seemed to grin at that and his eyes flashed red. The Rider reached for his chain, all Root ANBU tensing as well as the others watching. Sasuke slowly crouched to grab his wakizashi that was at his side. Kakashi, sensing a major battle he wanted no part of was about to go down, pulled Sakura up to her feet and grabbed Mikoto (she was technically not supposed to be exerting herself still), pulling the both of them out of the immediate area.

"**You're judging me?"** Naruto asked, his hands clenching around the chain. The Root all tensed in their spots and one looked over to see a demonic looking Uchiha Sasuke settling into the Uchiha Hanibera Fenikkusu stance. The Uchiha's eyes were narrowed and his Holy Eternal Sharingan was active as he held the wakizashi strongly in both hands above his head and both legs were bent at the knees. Naruto laughed softly, the Root ANBU all looking at the Rider wearily as he continued, **"I am not the ones being trialed, Root-san."**

Kakashi and Mikoto both narrowed their eyes at the confirmation of the supposedly ended ANBU branch members before them, the Jonin giving Sakura subtle hand signals to tell her to stay put as he moved to back his two students up. Mikoto activated her Sharingan and cast a genjutsu over herself and Sakura to reassure their safety.

"**You are all...**_**guilty**_**,"** Naruto snarled, pulling his chain off his chest and whipping it out, causing it to wrap around the neck of one of the Root. The Root operative gasped as the chain seemed to come alive and tightened around his neck even more. With a slight jerk, the neck of the Root operative snapped. And with that snap, the other Root leapt into action, as did the Rider and Sasuke.

"DIE!" Sasuke shouted, his eyes narrowing as he leapt at a Root ANBU and slashed at him. He sliced the Root in half and entered a duel with another Root ANBU using only their blades. The demonic Uchiha snarled and attacked again, leaping back before clenching his fist, surprised when it became covered in electricity.

"The Chidori?" Sasuke muttered in confusion. This confusion was exactly what the Root adversary needed to attack the dumbfounded demon-ish heir, only to be stopped when a Raikiri, courtesy of Kakashi, pierced his heart.

"Don't attack my students!" Kakashi said darkly as the Root ANBU died gasping for air. Sasuke looked thankfully at his sensei, who eye smiled back at him before looking over at Naruto as he finished snapping the neck of another Root ANBU. Naruto Rider looked at the last Root ANBU, the one wearing the jacket, and his eyes narrowed as a smile seemed to form on his face.

"**Nice jacket,"** he commented before he suddenly slammed his fist into the man's stomach, making him gasp in shock while Naruto backhanded him hard enough to snap his neck. Standing over the body, Naruto then stripped the man of his jacket and pulled it on. He zipped it up, chuckling the whole time, **"A very nice jacket..."**

"Looking sharp, Dobe," Sasuke chuckled out as he stabbed his blade into the lung of a slowly dying man, taking pleasure in the man's raspy yowl. Sasuke then looked over himself and asked, "So, any idea what I should do now?"

"May I make a suggestion?" a voice said from the treetops behind them. Down leapt the Sanin Jiraiya, the Rider staring/glaring at him.

"**So the pervert makes his appearance," **Naruto commented, flicking his wrist and making his chain wrap around his torso and crossed his arms, **"What do you want, Ero-sennin?"**

Jiraiya frowned and crossed his arms, "So...you actually made the deal. This complicates things."

* * *

**That's all for this one. Sorry about the shortness, but I got things to do...for the funeral. Peace...**


	5. Martyr No More

**Ah...bout time I get back to this story, eh? Guess seeing ****Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance**** really helped, despite the fact it was a month or so ago... Let's get it ONNNN! But first, a question!**

**Should I, Bonesboy15, revive a Naruto fic that has been long abandoned by its' originator? Let it be known that I have been granted the rights by said author and they have much faith in my attempt. I feel so warm and fuzzy...no, no wait...that's my cat walking on my stomach-OW! Groin! She's on my groin! Get her off!**

**Rider's Solitude**

**Martyr No More**

* * *

**"What the fuck are you doing here, Ero-sennin?"** Naruto asked with irritation at his question being brushed off. He pointed a bony finger at the white haired man and continued, **"You'd better keep away from Mikoto-kaasan or I'll kill you where you stand!"**

"Easy there Gaki," Jiraiya said, holding his hands up before he approached the Rider and grabbed his head, not seeming at all surprised when his hand didn't instantly combust. He turned the skull's head left and right before looking the teen in the eye and giving a smirk to the boy as he reverted back to normal.

"So...Mephistopheles made his move..." Jiraiya murmured as he placed a hand on his chin, "And here I thought he was pulling my chain."

Naruto glared at the white haired man, "What's your game, pervert?"

Jiraiya looked at Kakashi and Sakura before glancing at the dead bodies littering the ground, "Herm...quite a predicament you've gotten yourself in, Gaki. Hey, hey! Have ya tried summoning toads yet? Bet a flaming Gamabunta would be a funny sight!"

"Answer me, dammit!" Naruto shouted before he then yelped as he cradled his head. The blonde bounty hunter looked behind him to see Mikoto standing over him with her arms crossed.

"You watch your mouth, Naru-chan!" Mikoto barked, "I won't let you belittle one of our village's most honored shinobi...even if he is a no good pervert."

"I'll count _that_ as a win," Jiraiya chuckled out sheepishly before he looked at Sasuke in a curious manner. The teen crossed his arms and asked with his new scruffy voice, "What? Is something on my face?"

"Got an enhancement from Zarathos, eh?" the white haired Sanin asked as he crossed his arms before walking over to examine the Uchiha. He turned Sasuke's head down and looked at the mark on his back and shook his head, "Damn...Blackheart. Worse than I thought..."

"That name!" Sasuke exclaimed as he snapped his head up and looked at Jiraiya, "How do you know those names?"

"Same way I know about those names," Naruto grumbled as he cracked his neck and wrapped his chain around his torso, "He works for Mephistopheles-sama. Don't you?"

"Give the Rider a prize!" Jiraiya said as he gave the kid a not-too-reassuring thumbs up, "You're looking at Mephisto's number one author. How do you think I survive all those beatings from Tsunade?"

"He gave you regeneration, didn't he Jiraiya-sama?" Kakashi asked as he stepped forward, "Interesting. It appears we have three legends before us Sakura. Show your respect."

"Legends? Sensei! They...They work for...They're traitors to the village!" Sakura said before a hand was around her throat. The girl's green eyes widened when Sasuke's hand tightened around her throat and lifted her into the air. His eyes were hard and a bright red as he glared at her.

"Listen up and listen well, Haruno!" Sasuke snarled, "I'm sick of your weakness, your stupidity, but most of all, I'm sick of _you_!"

"S-Sasuke-kun?" Sakura asked in confusion. A smack made Sasuke yelp and release the girl. The former cursed Uchiha whimpered as he rubbed his still sore head, looking up at his enraged mother.

"Uchiha Sasuke...What have I told you about manhandling fan-girls?" the matriarch of the Uchiha clan scolded, before slamming a fist onto Sakura's head, "And you! Say that about my sons one more time, and I won't stop him next time!"

"H-Hai Kaasan/Uchiha-sama!" Sakura and Sasuke said at the same time while rubbing their heads. Naruto snickered into his hand before looking at the grinning pervert on his right.

"...So what do you want exactly?" Naruto asked with a frown. Jiraiya's smile slipped into a grim line and he sighed, scratching his head.

"Well...Being a spy master for Konoha, I know a lot of bad people...And while you got lucky with Kisame, catching him off guard, you won't get lucky again," the white haired womanizer said sternly before grinning widely, "So, in order to get you ready for Oro-teme, I'm taking you on as my-"

"OH HELL NO!" Mikoto exclaimed, pulling a pan from...somewhere, and smacking him over the back of the head. Naruto side-stepped as the author fell forward with a face of partial-consciousness.

"Duh, I wanna go on the Tsunade ride again..." drooled out the Toad Summoner after he made contact with the ground. Naruto arched a brow before looking at his mother, who still stood in the post striking stance.

"Um, Mikoto-kaasan..." Naruto started only to be shadowed by the threatening stance she took, making the blonde sweat as he continued slowly, "Maybe...I...Should take...his offer?"

"WHY IN THE _HELL_ WOULD THAT BE A GOOD IDEA?" Mikoto asked, utilizing a certain big head jutsu that had frightened Naruto since his days in the Academy, "DO YOU KNOW WHAT HE _DOES_?"

"Um...He's a pervert?" Naruto asked meekly, only to be corrected by the muffled voice of Jiraiya.

"I'm actually a _super_-pervert, thank you!" he corrected with a raised hand before his head was stomped on angrily by the matriarch of the Uchiha clan.

"...Ok, I see your point..." muttered the Rider-in-disguise.

"Uh, Mikoto-sempai," Kakashi slowly started, getting the angered gaze, "We _did_ just lose Sarutobi-sama...Maybe Jiraiya-sama was going to take Naruto to find Tsunade-sama for her to be the Godaime..."

Mikoto blinked as Jiraiya miraculously appeared next to Kakashi with a smirk on his face, not a single mark of his beating being seen, before he praised the Jonin, "Nailed it right on the head, my loyal fan! Yes, it seems that those two old bats calling themselves Sensei's _loyal_ teammates were simply trying to stall me until my, um...apprentice...was taken care of."

Mikoto twitched at the thought of Naruto becoming Jiraiya's apprentice, but then again...His father was trained by the pervert. On the other hand, though she, Kushina and Minato grew up in a time of war, so Jiraiya's perverseness was put on hold...

"Kaasan?" Sasuke spoke up, "What if I went with them? Ya know, to make sure the pervert" "IT'S _SUPER PERVERT_, DAMMIT! GET IT RIGHT!" "Doesn't corrupt my oututo..."

"Ah! Brilliant, Sasu-chan!" Mikoto exclaimed with a cheerful smile, one that was obviously a cover for the foreboding sentence that followed, "But how do I make sure he doesn't corrupt _you_? You _are_ your father's son after all..."

"Kaasan-Wait a minute..." Sasuke said, before his eyes widened and he clutched his face, "AHHH! The image will never leave my head! Tousan being a pervert! AUGH!"

Naruto fell on his back laughing at his brother's predicament, an arm holding his stomach as he pointed at the Uchiha heir, "Fugaku-oji was...Was a pervert!"

"SHUT UP!" Sasuke roared in embarrassment before leaping at his brother. Naruto yelped as he was engulfed in flames, becoming the Rider once again as they scuffled along the forest floor, somehow managing to avoid all the corpses littering the area.

"Come on, Mikoto-ch-um, Mikoto-_san_," Jiraiya pleaded, quickly adjusting the suffix to appease the distrusting clan head that sent him a glare, "Can't the gaki come with me?"

Mikoto narrowed her eyes before looking at the scuffling boys; Naruto Rider having his flaming mouth chomped onto one of Sasuke's hands while the other boy was gripping a collarbone, attempting to yank it from its socket. A smile graced her features before she smirked.

"Oh, I have a better idea," Mikoto said to the Sannin, who arched a brow in interest, "_I'll_ become the Godaime Hokage."

"...that...Is the most brilliant thing, I've ever heard..." Jiraiya muttered with wide eyes. He, Kakashi, and Mikoto slowly smiled as one and two of the three released gleeful/malicious chuckles.

**"GODDAMMIT, SASUKE-TEME, THAT HURT!"** Naruto roared as he rolled and slammed the older boy onto his back.

"GOOD! I WANTED YOU TO GET HURT! ACK, THE JEWELS!"

"We probably should stop them before they kill each other," Kakashi mused, before looking at his hero and his teacher and sighing in worry at their evil-chuckling state, "How is it _I'm_ the sane one...?"

* * *

Homura and Koharu were talking with the Shinobi clan heads and the Civilian Council within the council chambers concerning Tsunade's rise to Godaime when the doors were kicked open. Before either of the two advisors could scold Jiraiya, whom they believed to be the offender, a pair of Holy Eternal Sharingan blazed alive.

"Who is the one in control of Root?" Sasuke asked with a scowl, getting a reply of shocked silence, the heir growled and looked into the oddly shadowed hallway, "Oututo...You can come in now."

**"Gladly..."** the devil's bounty hunter said as he stepped into the council chambers, his soulless black sockets narrowed in fury as he dragged the corpse of the Root ANBU leader that had attacked his team. With ease, the flaming demon container slammed the body in front of him as Sasuke shut the doors, barring said wooden objects with a paper seal handcrafted by Jiraiya himself.

"W-What is the meaning of this?" Homura asked with a voice laced with fear. Naruto Rider rolled his head back and barked a demonic laugh out. Sasuke used a quickly learned lightning shunshin to appear sitting in the Hokage's seat, his arms crossed and a smirk on his face as his headband reflected the glow of Naruto's flames from around his neck.

"Well, since you were so quick to ask, I'll grant _you_ an answer," the Uchiha heir said with a smirk, "In case you worthless slime have forgotten, _I_ am Uchiha Sasuke. Your 'savior'."

"S-Sasuke-sama?" a civilian councilor stuttered out, "Has...Has the Demon's essence defiled you? Do you wish to purge it? And who is this? You called him 'brother'...?"

Sasuke chuckled while Naruto Rider scowled and crossed his arms, **"Don't read into it..."**

"Relax, Oututo-dobe," the Uchiha waved off with a smirk as the Rider's eyes narrowed at the name, "He's simply asking a question. To answer you, it was confirmed by my Kaasan that the one before us is my younger brother."

"M-Might I ask why he's-" "_Don't interrupt me_," Sasuke growled as he glared at the offending speaker. Smiling as the civilian silenced, he continued with a faux smile, "Thank you. Now, it's come to my attention that we are in need of a leader. And while Tsunade-sama or Jiraiya-sama are good choices, both are highly flawed. One's a drunk and gambler whilst the other is a sex-addict."

**"And that's putting it a bit lightly there,"** Naruto muttered with a frown before his attention darted to a corner. With a snarl, the Rider sent a ball of flame into said corner and a Root ANBU stood calmly while burning alive. Arching a brow, the skull muttered, **"That's not crazy at all...Hey, **_**Nii-chan**_**, check out the human barbeque! Danzo-teme does a good job of teaching pain resistance, ne?"**

Sasuke glowered at the interruption while his brother silently laughed at the 'emotionless' man slowly burning alive. The preteen sighed and pinched his nose, "Dammit Naruto...You should've killed him _after_ I suggested Kaasan as the Godaime..."

The room burst into silent whispers at Sasuke's words.

"An Uchiha? Lead us?"

"...Why didn't we think of that?"

"Does anyone else smell cookies?"

"Of course, Mikoto-sama is the best choice for a Hokage! She has the Sharingan and is known as the strongest Uchiha bar her husband and son..."

"B-But Tsunade-dono is a Sannin!" Homura quickly threw in, "Having her as a Hokage would keep other villages off our backs as we recover!"

"You think that having a drunk and gambler as a Kage is a good idea?" Sasuke hissed with narrowed eyes, "What are you trying to do? _Invite_ other villages to take over?"

"N-No, but she's-" **"A woman with no ties."** Naruto suddenly threw in as he crossed his arms again, gaining everyone's attention, **"Her lover and brother were killed in Konoha's wars. Sure, her grandfather and grand-uncle are probably rolling in their graves, but dragging her here to force her to lead ain't gonna help..."**

"That's it, I DEMAND TO KNOW _WHO_ YOU ARE!" Koharu shouted before looking at Sasuke, "AND WHAT HAPPENED TO _YOU_?"

Sasuke sighed as Naruto's skeletal grin grew. The older of the two rubbed his forehead with one hand, "Orochimaru happened to me, _remember_?"

**"And I'm your favorite boy to hate,"** the bounty hunter chuckled out, before leaping at Homura. The Clan heads felt their eyes widen but couldn't move from the sudden amount of chakra radiating from the teen sitting in the Hokage's chair. Sasuke's hands were in the Ram seal and a fanged grin was on his face.

"Now, now," he chided as a drop of sweat fell down his face, "It wouldn't be fun to interrupt the Rokudaime-to-be, right?"

The civilians frowned in confusion while the Clan Heads felt grins cross their faces, realization as to who the stranger was reflecting in their eyes. Naruto chortled as he gripped the sides of Homura's head, forcing the old man to stare at him as his eyes took on a red glow.

**"This is my **_**favorite**_** part...Homura-teme...Your soul is stained by the blood of the innocent!"** declared the Rider in a deep voice, **"Look into my eyes and feel their pain!"**

Homura's mouth opened as a silent scream escaped his lips, his eyes widening as Naruto's glowed. He was forced to relive the night he, Koharu, and Danzo ensured Konoha's peace by making Itachi a scapegoat and a murderer. He was then forced to feel the deaths of each Uchiha that Itachi had slain, a mockery of his voice echoing, _"To do what Sarutobi cannot; we shall keep Konoha safe!"_

The council as a whole was forced to watch as Homura's eyes slowly burnt and became ash-like orbs with small flaming cracks. The old man released a death rattle that made Naruto smirk darkly, shoving the body away from him.

**"One down..."** the Rider whispered before glancing at Koharu, who was now white as a ghost, **"Two to go..."**

"In time, Naruto," Sasuke said, alarming the civilians and making the Clan Heads gape. _THAT_ is what the Kyuubi could do to its containers?

**"Tch, ruining my fun, Teme..."** Naruto grumbled as he hopped down from the desk. Sasuke chuckled before releasing his technique, slumping slightly from exhaustion.

"Damn...Now I know how using Kage Bunshin feels..." the Uchiha grumbled. He took a deep breath before standing, hopping over the table to land next to Naruto. With equal finesse, the young Uchiha spun on the ball of his foot, and looked at the council.

"Take our suggestion into consideration and someone please tell Danzo-teme that we will not stand for his assault," Sasuke ordered, "Good day, Councilmen..."

**"Assholes,"** Naruto nodded before they left.

As they left the room, shutting the door behind them, Naruto sighed as his Rider form dissipated in the sunlight, "Damn...that's tiring...Forcing it takes more than being around actual evil..."

"You ok?" Sasuke asked, before smirking, "Or are you too much of a pussy?"

"Screw you teme!" Naruto growled, "And what was with that 'oututo' crap? I'm the same age as you!"

"You're a month younger," Sasuke pointed out, "Kaasan said you were in Kushina-san's stomach for _ten_ months."

"...I hate you, _teme_," Naruto growled as his eye twitched. Sasuke smirked and closed his eyes as he walked with a light Henge hiding his true features from the village.

"I _bask_ in your hate, my oututo-dobe!" teased the Uchiha as he ducked under his blonde brother's attempted swipe with his new chain-whip, "Aw, did I make the Rider mad?"

Naruto pouted, "Just shut up Teme...I've got a bad feeling..."

"About what?" Sasuke asked absentmindedly before both were suddenly blinded by the dark sacks thrown over their heads. Before they could fight back, they were granted with the power of eyesight once again as the sacks were removed.

"YOU!" they both exclaimed in shock.

* * *

**AN: And scene. Oh yeah. Major cliffhanger. How do you get more? Review, duh. Oh, and be sure to answer if you want me to revive The Other Side of Darkness' **_**Sleeping Dragon**_** fanfiction...Oh dammit I was going to leave the title a surprise!**

**Just review you lovable fools! REVIEW!**

**...It will please me...**


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